Belly Dance Artists

MALIK

Born in Tabriz, in the Azerbaijani region of Iran, Malik taught himself Nagara, a traditional Azerbaijani drum. At the age of eighteen he decided to move to Tehran to go to university and continue his professional music career in the capital. When in Tehran, Malik began training as a classical singer and he also got the opportunity to meet and study with Almas Goliov, the Master Nagara player from Baku. This encounter had a huge impact on Malik’s musical development and his talents blossomed resulting in him achieving first place in the ‘Sunrise’ national music festival in Tehran for three consecutive years.

Despite having studied to be a Chemical Engineer, he found his passion lay in his music and inspired by the mix of cultures in the multi-ethnic capital, Malik started to play the Persian Tombak, the Kurdish Daf and the Arabic Darbuka as well as his first instrument the Nagara. He quickly reached to a high standard and began teaching in the top music schools in Tehran, started playing for national TV and radio studios, collaborating with dancers and performing in various concerts and festivals throughout the country and worldwide.

Malik’s desire to experience different cultures and create unique fusions inspired him to leave Iran and come to the UK, where he has been able to develop his style further through working with musicians from all over the world, thereby deepening his knowledge of Western, Latin and African rhythms. Through an exploration of different ethnic rhythms and fusion music Malik has created a unique personal style through which he hopes to reflect unity in diversity.

OZGEN

"Ozgen has performed, taught, choreographed & directed for the last 14 years. His reputation as a male belly dancer & teacher has taken him across Europe. In Istanbul, he joined the cast of Hurrem Sultan, Sultans of the Dance & Night of the Sultans, shows as big as Cats or Riverdance, combingin contemporary dance, ballet & oriental dance. Ozgen taught for several years at the Tolgahan Dance School in Istanbul & is now based in London."